RawalPindiz’s pacer Naseem Shah has been ruled out of the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 matches for the foreseeable future due to injury.
In a statement issued on Monday, the team management confirmed that Shah has been sidelined after sustaining a side injury during their recent clash against Karachi Kings.
The team’s medical staff are closely monitoring his recovery and are targeting a possible return towards the end of the tournament, subject to his rehabilitation progress and fitness clearance, read the communique.
The Pindiz stand firmly with the right-arm pacer during this challenging period and remain fully committed to supporting him through his recovery, it said.
The franchise described the pacer’s presence in the squad as “invaluable” and said they look forward to seeing him back on the field stronger than ever.
It is pertinent to mention that the 25-year-old had a poor start in the ongoing tournament, taking just one wicket against the Kings and going wicketless while conceding 51 runs in his first match for Pindiz.
For the unversed, the pacer faced a major setback at the start of the tournament after being found in breach of several clauses of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) central contract and social media guidelines, following a personal hearing conducted by a three-member Disciplinary Committee.
The controversy stemmed from the opening ceremony of the ongoing PSL 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on March 27, which Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz attended as the guest of honour.
During the event, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi welcomed the Punjab chief minister and introduced her to the franchise owners participating in the tournament.
The chief minister was also introduced to the players from both sides ahead of the curtain-raiser.
Soon after, a post from Shah’s X account questioned the treatment of CM Maryam at the event, triggering widespread debate on social media.
Addressing the controversy, the right-arm pacer reassured followers that the post was not intentional, explaining that his account had been hacked.
“This account of Naseem was recently hacked but has now been recovered successfully,” he wrote, clarifying that the issue was the result of a security breach rather than a deliberate post.
The PCB, however, found Shah in breach of several central contract clauses, resulting in a Rs20 million fine.
